They're so messed up geez

The duke went through so much too, but I still think that FL's situation was worse (not that I hate the duke) he couldn't understand her pain and couldn't express his feelings clearly. He wasn't brought up in a warm family so he couldn't be possibly a normal human but he still thought of protecting the FL in his own way when they were younger, the FL lost so many people she cherished in short span of time and had to sacrifice many things

The son is the one that got dragged into this whole mess. He doesn't deserve this but still got hurted by the product of his parents' miscommunication and misunderstandings. His mom was depressed and wasn't even properly diagnosed as noone in the duchy except maybe her husband cared about her. Everyone thought she hated her son for no reason but she just wasn't in the right state of mind and she showed that in the form of hating her son (when she was dying only then she realized she was wrong and she loved her son)

there isn't anything wrong with what you've pointed out. I also feel this way



However, no matter if she believed to be neglected by the husband, she was more focused on her social life and partying that she literally neglected her own son. for YEARS. This fact does not change. at this point 15 cuz he's 15 or maybe 18? cuz that's the age the kid was when she died in the previous life? .that's a long time to realize what is really important. and it took her DYING to make her realize how neglectful she was. like what? WITH A CUTE KID LIKE HIM T.T HOW CAN YOU LEAVE HIM BE????! T.T you'd probably get mad, but despite her efforts to be better now, I'm still disgusted and she rubbed me the wrong. I guess I wouldn't be as disgusted if time was rewound to when she gave birth or when the kid was like 5.bc at least the damage isn't as severe as 15 years

like id tap out of neglect after 5 years simply because the kid would be too cute since he's always trying to look for me...no maybe 3 years at most.

it also still doesn't hurt any less being told "you were my best choice." he isn't the only one who wasn't able to express feelings properly. especially bc he is a handsome capable guy, I'd be more interested in being aggressive to try and opening him up. At least tell him "im lonely can you spend a little time with me" if it really was about that. .despite it being "the best choice" she had the resolve to pick him as a partner, she should have also mentally prepared herself to welcome the responsibilities of marrying someone and what comes with it. since she was going to do it anyway, she should have put efforts in to build if not a loving relationship, at least an amicable one.

and I absolutely hate that it took her even longer to realize the words she keeps telling him aren't affectionate and actually cause a bigger wedge into a relationship they actually both deep down want to foster.

I totally agree with you but I think that she only felt comfort and acceptance in her social life but that’s definitely no reason to act that way towards her child
But of course it was her severe depression that made her act like that, I mean I can't really blame her

We have different perception of things.... I take it as a compliment to be told as "the best choice" rather than an insult. Like, why do you not like being the best choice? Because there's a second choice? Third choice? Like isn't it normal to have choices from the start? So it should feel good to know that despite having all those choices you were chosen and considered to be the best??? I don't think she meant to hurt him for saying that. (I think) In one of the scenes she referred to it as "each other's best choice", so it indicates she also felt insecure of his feelings for her but he made no effort to correct that, but instead made a lot of efforts to hunt down the "second choice".
I do agree about the child neglect case, i don't think it should be swept under the rug. But then again, it's the child's choice if he wants to establish a relationship with the mother again, and the father should no under any circumstances prevent that from happening. Gosh, I sounded like a divorce lawyer.

I think it’s bc of the way she conveyed it. If she said it with a smiling face accompanied by great efforts to build ANY kind of good relationship instead of just leaving it as is and “oh bc he isn’t gonna care anyway” I’d take it as a compliment. For me, I’d take it if she was consistently trying to convey to me that oh yea despite my flaws I’m the best one for her.

You have to take in the context of the setting and who these people are in the social aspect. Because nobility has historically always been about trying to maintain power or increasing it, marriages were always used as a tool for that. This is the environment both of these characters are constantly surrounded by and constantly being pressure to marry we’ll (so that we can reap benefits from that marriage)

So being told “you were my best choice” sounds like you were the one that was the most profitable. It’s not like she ever uttered the words of “oh you’re handsome” “I want to stay beside you because you are you” “I want to see you smile because you make me happy.” THATS the kind of “best choice” I’d take and also what the husband actually wants but failed to express. That kind of reason. Im sorry but the guy she was hanging out with in town was correct. Her words and actions have conveyed That “best choice” would make one feel like a chess piece and that’s how the husband took it. As a reader that’s how I took it as well.

It’s just frustrating because the husband won’t express his feelings no matter what! At some point in the 15 years, he could have said...I want to be with you not because you were the best choice but because I feel happy seeing you by me smiling. You are the best choice because you make my heart race and I love you like no one else....or something along those lines. Even if it was subtle I’ll take it. (It would be cute seeing that too because I’m sure he’d be so shy in saying it) but the problem is he hasn’t. Not once. Instead he get mad at her for saying those words and letting it hurt him??? Lmfao. You did nothing to try to change the meaning of those words. They’re both ridiculous.

I said nothing about the kid not having a say so. Ofcourse he’s going to be more inclined to give in the current nature of his mother because for 15 years he has longed for it. Even if it subsided and not obvious, that desire is def resurfacing now. She’s being genuine and that’s what matters ...I just wish it was turned back to when she gave birth so that she could do EVERYTHING over and pour more love into both child and husband. .